Misdiagnosed cancer patients undergo unnecessary chemotherapy

On behalf of Donovan O'Connor & Dodig, LLP posted in Failure to Diagnose on Monday, August 26, 2013.

When physicians take the Hippocratic Oath, they swear to practice medicine honestly and uphold a number of ethical standards. Fortunately, the majority of doctors in Massachusetts work hard to provide the best care for their patients. On occasion, however, a negligent physician will fail to make the proper medical diagnosis.

An oncologist faces up to 20 years in prison if convicted in a $35 million Medicare scam. The 48-year-old doctor is accused of diagnosing his patients with cancer when there was no apparent evidence of the disease. His alleged wrongdoing was initially reported by a nurse in 2010. The doctor’s attorney argues that an expert has yet to substantiate the prosecution’s claims but a special agent from the FBI stated that the bureau is committed to prosecuting heath fraud.

In addition to misdiagnosing cancer patients, the man is accused of giving his patients chemotherapy even when they did not need the procedure and defrauding Medicare out of $35 million. He is currently being held in county jail on $9 million bond, a huge increase from the initial $170,000 bond. A federal judge warned him that in the event that he is released on bond, he should not continue to practice medicine.

The victims of this doctor’s health fraud had to undergo the painful process of chemotherapy for no reason. This likely took a toll on them physical, emotionally, and financially. If you are the victim of failure to make an accurate diagnosis, you may be entitled to compensation for your worsened condition or delayed treatment. You may want to contact an attorney to discuss your legal options.

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